A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature | Page 6

Flower and Thorn, etc. In prose he wrote Daisy's Necklace_, The
Course of True Love, Marjorie Daw, Prudence Palfrey, etc.
ALESIUS, ALEXANDER (1500-1565).--Theologian and
controversialist. His unlatinised name was Aless or Alane, and he was
b. at Edinburgh and ed. at St. Andrews, where he became a canon.
Originally a strong and able defender of the Romish doctrines, he was
chosen to argue with Patrick Hamilton, the proto-martyr of the
Reformation in Scotland, with the object of inducing him to recant. The
result, however, was that he was himself much shaken in his allegiance
to the Church, and the change was greatly accelerated by the
martyrdom of H. His subsequent protest against the immorality of the
clergy led to his imprisonment, and ultimately, in 1532, to his flying for
his life to Germany, where he became associated with Luther and
Melancthon, and definitely joined the reforming party. Coming to
England in 1535, he was well received by Cranmer and other reformers.
While in England he studied medicine, and practised as a physician in
London. On the fall of T. Cromwell in 1540 he again retired to
Germany, where, at Leipzig, he obtained a professorship. During the
reign of Edward VI. he re-visited England and was employed by
Cranmer in connection with the 1st Liturgy of Edward VI. Returning to
Leipsic he passed the remainder of his days in peace and honour, and
was twice elected Rector of the University. His writings were both
exegetical and controversial, but chiefly the latter. They include
_Expositio Libri Psalmorum Davidis_ (1550). His controversial works
refer to such subjects as the translation of the Bible into the vernacular,
against Servetus, etc.
ALEXANDER, MRS. CECIL F. (HUMPHREYS) (1818-1895).--dau.
of Maj. H., b. in Co. Waterford, m. the Rev. W. Alexander, afterwards
Bishop of Derry and Archbishop of Armagh. Her Hymns for Little
Children had reached its 69th edition before the close of the century.
Some of her hymns, e.g. "There is a Green Hill" and "The Roseate

Hues of Early Dawn," are known wherever English is spoken. Her
husband has also written several books of poetry, of which the most
important is _St. Augustine's Holiday and other Poems_.
ALFORD, HENRY (1810-1871).--Theologian, scholar, poet, and
miscellaneous writer, s. of a clergyman, was b. in London. After
passing through various private schools, he proceeded to Cambridge,
where he had a distinguished career, and after entering the Church and
filling various preferments in the country, became minister of Quebec
Chapel, London, whence he was promoted to be Dean of Canterbury.
His great work was his Greek Testament in 4 vols., of which the first
was pub. in 1849 and the last in 1861. In this work he largely followed
the German critics, maintaining, however, a moderate liberal position;
and it was for long the standard work on the subject in this country. A.
was one of the most versatile men, and prolific authors, of his day, his
works consisting of nearly 50 vols., including poetry (School of the
Heart and _Abbot of Munchelnaye, and a translation of the Odyssey_),
criticism, sermons, etc. In addition to the works above mentioned he
wrote _Chapters on the Greek Poets (1841), the Queen's English_
(1863), and many well-known hymns, and he was the first editor of the
Contemporary Review. He was also an accomplished artist and
musician. His industry was incessant and induced a premature
breakdown in health, which terminated in his death in 1871. He was the
friend of most of his eminent contemporaries, and was much beloved
for his amiable character.
ALISON, ARCHIBALD (1757-1839).--Didactic and philosophical
writer, was b. in Edinburgh and ed. at Glasgow University and Oxford.
After being presented to various livings in England, A. came to
Edinburgh as incumbent of St. Paul's Episcopal Chapel, where he
attained popularity as a preacher of sermons characterised by quiet
beauty of thought and grace of composition. His chief contribution to
literature is his _Essay on the Nature and Principles of Taste_ (1790),
in which the "association" theory is supported.
ALISON, SIR ARCHIBALD (1792-1867).--Historian, s. of the above,
was b. at Kenley, Shropshire, and after studying under a private tutor,

and at Edinburgh University, was, in 1814, called to the Bar, at which
he ultimately attained some distinction, becoming in 1834 Sheriff of
Lanarkshire, in which capacity he rendered valuable service in times of
considerable difficulty. It was when travelling in France in 1814 that he
conceived the idea of his History of Europe, which deals with the
period from the outbreak of the French Revolution to the restoration of
the Bourbons, and extends, in its original form (1833-42), to 10 vols.
The work is one of vast industry, and gives a useful account of an
important epoch, but is extremely diffuse and one-sided, and often
prosy. Disraeli satirises the author in Coningsby as